Comments on: Getting to Know You (and Him): The O-mercial

By: "Obamamercial" Featured More Hope, Less Singing Than Anticipated [Critical Mass]

Fri, 21 Nov 2008 22:58:02 +0000

[...] Presidential Dress Rehearsal [Newsweek] A Half-Hour of Hope [The Guardian] Getting to Know You (And Him): The O-mercial [Time] An Infomercial Never Felt So Good (So Good, So Good) [The New Republic] ObamaVision: An [...]

By: Top Posts « WordPress.com

Top Posts « WordPress.com — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 00:33:25 +0000

[...] Getting to Know You (and Him): The O-mercial Why do political parties put their conventions on TV? You get a big block of network prime time and get to put on a [...] [...]

By: familyforest

familyforest — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 22:44:58 +0000

Will the commercial be effective for Obama or for McCain?

Obama's Famous and Infamous Relatives

http://familyforest.wordpress.com/2008/10/30/senator-obama%e2%80%99s-famous-and-infamous-relatives/

By: carlosthedwarfthinkswordpresssucks

carlosthedwarfthinkswordpresssucks — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 22:28:32 +0000

sojourner watching and waiting for what? these two guys have written a half dozen books between the two of them, both are media darlings who have had more or less constant coverage for the last 4 years. What could you possibly still be waiting to find out in the last 5 days? Do you really think that there's some final nail out there in the Erratic Warmongerer or crypto muslim coffin that'll be driven home here in the final days? Do you really think that if McCain had some sort of compelling argument, something really insightful, he wouldn't have unloaded it weeks ago? If Obama had some way to finally and fully put his foot on McCain's neck wouldn't he have doen so already? What is that vital piece of info you need to make up your mind?

By: "Obamamercial" Featured More Hope, Less Singing Than Anticipated [Critical Mass] | Buuzz.com

Thu, 30 Oct 2008 22:17:27 +0000

[...] [Newsweek] A Half-Hour of Hope [The Guardian] Getting to Know You (And Him): The O-mercia... [Time] An Infomercial Never [...]

By: sojournerstrange

sojournerstrange — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 21:57:19 +0000

1. Rhys: Undecided means undecided, not indecisive. Waiting to gather all the available information shows discretion and intelligent caution.
2. Dwightnager: your generalization is not appreciated.
3. Carolmr: it wasn't a pledge.
4. Hummingbirdcyborg: I would have to concur that many voters decide on less than logical grounds, and I wonder - of the current population of undecided voters, how many are vacillators and how many are watching and waiting?

By: rhys1882

rhys1882 — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 20:45:07 +0000

@kristilynn78 - Excessive delay in rendering a decision after being confronted with as much information as readily available is the definition of indecisive. Sorry that neither candidate has presented a healthcare plan you approve of, but they aren't going to suddenly unveil a radically new plan in the few days before the election (although I wouldn't put it past McCain). You have all the information you are going to get, make a choice. I didn't say undecideds were stupid or push-overs. Usually undecideds think too much and are too stubborn in their refusal to pick to a side. A push-over would just have decided based on whatever their friends are doing.

By: kmsl

kmsl — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 20:11:11 +0000

Obama's primetime infomercial, aired by three networks last night, was an impressive audiovisual display that highlighted his working class roots. The “Oval Office” backdrop was undoubtedly designed to portray him as “Presidential.” He effectively recapped his vision for America and the policies that Americans can look forward to under an Obama Presidency. Most importantly, it may have comforted some voters unsure of Obama's motives and ambitions. Obama came across as intelligent, likeable, and characteristically Presidential.

Despite all this, it appeared to me an “over the top” campaign event. Obama has a significant lead in the polls and is almost guaranteed a victory in the upcoming election. The McCain camp's attacks on his character don't seem to be working. Obama's throng of energetic volunteers and his well-tuned campaign team are doing their job well. The several million dollars spent on these ads were unnecessary and could possibly portray him as extravagant at a time when frugality is finally becoming a virtue in America.

Obama had my vote before the infomercial. Less than a week from the elections, most voters know who they are voting for – many have already voted. Did the infomercial sway anyone? Perhaps, but not enough to justify the $3 million expense.

By: sulliclm

sulliclm — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 19:42:55 +0000

@james - I forgot to commend you on "Faux-val office" brilliant!

By: hummingbirdcyborg

hummingbirdcyborg — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 19:35:19 +0000

Kristilynn78 wrote: anyone can make themselves sound great for 30 minutes on scripted television

Lulu Lulu wrote: Thank you. That nails exactly why it didn't strike me as this stirring moment in American politics, and why I don't understand how people can be necessarily swayed by the infomercial.

Maybe this is so, but compare it to how ever many 30 second, 1 minute or even two minute ads. In which allotment of time are you going to make any headway in swaying undecided voters.

The truth is that some people vote without going on the campaign websites and tracking every single issue. Some people vote based on the issues as well as other factors like temperament and whether somebody seems like they care about them or that they can empathize with them.

Maybe anybody can sound good in a 30 minute ad and a wise voter might be sure to not let a single commercial like this carry too much weight. Perhaps it's the issues that have you flummoxed. But for many voters who are not sure because they aren't sure about who Obama is, or who don't understand his reasoning in choosing the sides that he has chosen on the issues, this message can convince them that indeed Obama is a decent man.

Further, and maybe MORE important at this point, this can shore up some weak supporters into being strong supporters who are less likely to be swayed. After all, John McCain is behind in the polls and he'll likely have to sway some Obama supporters to his side if he hopes to win.

And, like you said, anybody can look good in thirty minutes of scripted television. Well, since only one candidate has done this, only one candidate DOES look good for thirty minutes of scripted television. I think that McCain would actually be wise if he followed suit. He has some strong material about who he is, but instead, we see more negative messages coming from him and a VERY positive message coming from Obama.

Sure, Obama attacks McCain, but it doesn't come off as Obama always attacking. And this commercial helped seperate the two in that regard more than before.